Not only do they look like the best, they match up really well against the Rockets. Griffin is becoming the player everybody thought he could be, Jordan is playing with grit and isn't the knuckle head some thought he would be, and CP3 is CP3. When Reddick is running around like a greased lightning, its even worse. Oh and they picked up Danny Granger, WTF! I like watching them too, they are tough without being bullies.
I think we should play the Asik/D12 lineup or DMo/D12 lineup just to matchup with them when we play them again
Maybe it's just because they have beaten us... or maybe it's just because of Chris Paul. But I really do not like watching them. Especially Paul. And the way that he flops around like a fish.
Or, you could easily say with our top transition defence, it would once again counter well against the Clippers. Call me crazy, but I would rather face the Clippers than the teams with the two best players on the planet (and sidekick superstars). Call me crazy (again), but I would rather face the team that has the best record in the league and went the finals last year. If we lose to the Clippers, that is because we are just not the better team (or injuries), not because of matchup problems. It is also an accepted that players are more disciplined on fast break and transition, and the pace slows.
They are a bad matchup for the Rockets but I don't think they'd kick the crap out of them. The last game was much closer and that was with the Rockets being on the last game of a 5 game road trip and the second night of a back to back. If the Rockets have home court I'd call it 55/45 Clippers and 60/40 if they don't.
They're a good team, but I still feel like we should match up well against them. I don't understand how they keep owning us. If we STILL can't win our last game against them (we have one more, right?), maybe I'll just have to accept that they are genuinely a tough matchup for us.
The Clippers are playing as well or better than anyone in the NBA right now, and they have played well against the Rockets. I would put them in the same boat as the Rockets, they look really promising but do not have any real playoff success recently. They knocked off the Grizzlies in the first round a few years ago and then had their clocks cleaned by SA and last year the Grizzlies. They have a shot at winning the West, just like OKC, SA and HOU.... but like HOU, I think they have more to prove than OKC and SA.
I don't see how the Clippers cant be taken seriously. The mistake many seem to make is taking the season, or recent seasons as a whole and making assessments to how far a team should go in the playoffs. The playoffs are about matchups AND how the team is playing when the playoffs come around. Said another way, every team goes through stretches were they play above themselves for a few games, then under perform for a few. The timing to which team is in what modality and against who dictates much playoff time.
1. Heat 2. Thunder 3. Pacers 4. Clippers 5. Rockets I'd be shocked if one of those teams didn't win it all.
When the Clips get Reddick and/or Crawford back, they can't be stopped. Granger has fit in nicely. I saw him play in Staples against Phoenix and he moved really well, made shots in rhythm and drove the ball to the basket. He is much better physically than I thought he would be. The one team they will have trouble with is San Antonio, but at full strength they can beat them.
Bumping this; yall would rather play the Clippers than the Thunder still? How many times do they have to outplay us?
Redick might not be back this year and if we are saying Crawford was gimpy then we have to throw in that Chandler was too. He had the flu and sat out the next game bc of it.
I think the Clippers play well vs the Rockets because of the turnover plus/minus. CP3 averages like 5 assists per turnover which is probably his most impressive trait. Because the Rockets turn the ball over a lot, it hurts most vs the Clippers who don't give it back too often. That coupled with the fact that the Rockets like to run and shoot 3 pointers and Doc Rivers defensive scheme is all about giving up on offensive rebounds to prevent run outs and running players off the 3 point line. As far as matchups go, the Clippers can defend the 3 pointer well vs the Rockets because DeAndre Jordan can handle Dwight without needing a double-team. In the last 3 years, I think the Clippers have won like 8 out of the last 10 meetings or something. I think the previous years were just due to the fact that the Rockets weren't very good. When Big Baby and Danny Granger get into the grove and the Clippers get Redick and Crawford back, they will be very tough to beat. Big Baby was brought in specifically to tussle with Memphis and Zach Randolph.
No love for Big Baby as Griffin's backup? And Hedo Turkoglu, Willie Green, and Reggie Bullock have been very good contributors. I agree that Ryan Hollins and Jared Dudley deserve no love though.
